The Red Deer Kinsmen Club donated over $280,000 raised in 2011 to 12 local charities at their annual recipient cheque and awards night.
“We take our donations seriously,” said Kinsmen president J.C. Levenne.
“It’s been great to help out those that really need it.”
The club donated $115,000 to the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation to continue with renovations for Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre’s pediatric ward.
This donation is the second installment of a three-year plan by the Kinsmen to donate a total of $345,000 to the hospital.
The money has gone towards reconstructing the front entrance and renovating pediatric patient rooms for the first time in over 20 years, said Shannon Van Parys, program officer with the foundation. They are also revamping the two “care by parent” suites for first-time mothers and infants out of the neonatal intensive care unit that require 24-hour nursing.
The Town of Blackfalds received $33,333 towards the indoor playground at the new community fieldhouse, expected to be open by 2014.
The club made a similar commitment to this project, pledging to donate a total of $100,000 over a three-year period.
Also part of a previous three-year commitment, Family Services of Central Alberta was given $33,333 to benefit the Kinsmen Family Play Place in Parkland Mall.
Additional $10,000 cheques were presented on Monday to the following charities:
l Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter
l Canadian Mental Health Association
l Canadian Red Cross
l Youth and Volunteer Centre
l Red Deer Food Bank
l Red Deer Royals Marching Band
Red Deer Pond Hockey and Red Deer Minor Hockey split a cheque for $16,800 and the Central Alberta chapter for Cystic Fibrosis Canada received $23,000.
The money donated by the Kinsmen Club is raised through their annual Dream Home lottery. The 2011 Dream Home actually only raised $125,000, said dream home chair Scott Bourke, but the club had extra money in reserves.
rfrancoeur@www.reddeeradvocate.com